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Attaching antenna cable to SL-40 frame?

J

jte65

Well Known Member
I have a question for those who have completed their avionics. How is the 90 degree BNC connector for the antenna supposed to be attached to the tray? There are threaded studs on the tray on which to install the connector and the SL-40 installation manual shows shoulder nuts that allow it to float. However, the RV-12 plans do not show anything and there was no hardware with the SL-40.
 
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It attaches to the tray...then when you push the radio back in on the tray it connects automatically.
 
How does it attach though?

Peter:

Thanks but how does it attach to the tray? The SL-40 install manual shows some type of nut to attach it to the threaded studs but the -12 manual does not specify what nut to use.
 
If I remember right, the nuts are already on the tray...you have to unscrew them and put them back on. I'll have to check mine again later. There are two nuts....very small.
 
Mind had no nuts

Thanks Pete- I will see if anyone else remembers the same. Mine had no nuts on the tray. Maybe Stein will see the thread- if not, I will send them an email.
 
Make sure you install the connector before install the tray. It is a real PITA to do it after wards.
 
Part # 204-2100

Those are called shoulder bushings. They are nuts with a smaller bushing which when tightened, the bushing slides inbetween the antenna coupler mounting bracket hole and the machined screw post. Should be two of them. Mine were loose in the parts bag.
 
Those connectors and shoulder nuts are supplied by Van's as the BNC is already fastened to the coax. They should be in your kit of goodies from Van's and they're probably in there somehwere!

Cheers,
Stein
 
Nowhere to be found

Stein:

Thanks- I am not finding shoulder nuts anywhere. I have looked on both the avionics and finish kit hardware parts lists and don't find them there and have looked through all of my misc. hardware. Thanks Wendell for the part number.

I guess I will contact Van's to see where they were supposed to be. Any other builders out there remember where they found theirs?

Another avionics topic that I just discovered- appears Garmin has changed their XM antenna. The RV-12 plans show a model 30A and the one with the 496 I just received was a GXM 40. The mounting hole spacing is different on the 40 and does not match the holes in the mounting plate supplied by Van's (and it needs to be rotated to get the correct orientation of the cable exit as well). I ended up just making new mounting holes. I can alert Van's to this but wanted to see if you were aware as well.
 
These nuts?

Here is a photo of the back of my SL40. The nuts pictured came attached like that from Steinair. I have not installed avionics yet, long way to go, so maybe the nuts in question are not these. I hope the picture helps.

RV12
 
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Thanks Andy- Stein?

Thanks Andy for the picture of your com tray with the nuts attached- these are definitely the nuts in question. One other builder also indicated his came attached to the tray as well. Makes sense, as they are on the parts list for the SL-40 radio.

Stein- two other builders are indicating the nuts came attached to their SL-40 trays in the shipment from Steinair as opposed to coming from Van's. Are you certain that they were supposed to come from Van's? I have sent Van's tech support a message as well.
 
Hi All,

I did a bit of sleuthing, and it appears that a few kits were shipped without the shoulder washers attached to the tray from here as most all have been in the past.

If you have a tray and are missing the shoulder nuts, then please send us an email/pm or call and we'll get some nuts out to you right away.

Cheers,
Stein
 
In a little container!

I have an SL30, but I assume the SL40 will be the same as the SL30. The shoulder nuts for my SL30 came in a little container, with all the connector pins and other screws and stuff, not installed on the frame!

Regards, Tonny
 
SL40 TRAY MISSING STUDS

My SL40 mounting tray had studs on the right side but there were none on the left side for attaching the antenna coax. I had to disassemble the tray, remove the studs from the right side and move them to the left side before I could mount the 90? coax connector. It was not easy putting those little screws back in that deep tray. I do not know whose fault it was, Van's or Garmin's or Stein's, but maybe someone will read this and correct the problem and spare others lots of frustration.
Joe
See Picture:
SL40%20Tray.bmp
 
Mich48041 said:
My SL40 mounting tray had studs on the right side but there were none on the left side for attaching the antenna coax. I had to disassemble the tray, remove the studs from the right side and move them to the left side before I could mount the 90? coax connector. It was not easy putting those little screws back in that deep tray. I do not know whose fault it was, Van's or Garmin's or Stein's, but maybe someone will read this and correct the problem and spare others lots of frustration.
Joe
See Picture:
SL40%20Tray.bmp
Click to expand...

Whoa, Whoa...hold on there a second! Those studs are not meant to be removable. They are installed at the factory (Garmin) and most of them are pressed in (clinch type studs). You must have a defective tray if that is the case, although I've not seen it so I don't know for sure.

If your tray is defective, please don't attemp to modify it - instead call/email/pm us and we'll just get you a new tray that is correct all the way around.

Cheers,
Stein
 
Too late

Stein,
I am pleased to hear that it was not Stein's fault that the studs were missing. But it is too late to send it back. It is completely installed. I pressed the studs out of the right side and into the left side. Since the heads of the studs are sandwiched between two layers of the tray, they can not fall out. I used thread lock on the studs and shoulder nuts. It is not coming loose. I sure hate to take everything apart and send it back for exchange, but will if you insist. I doubt that Garmin or you would take the tray back after I repaired it and disfigured the aluminum in the process. As part of your quality control program, the trays should be inspected for missing studs when they arrive from Garmin. Thanks for the reply.
Joe
 
Hi Joe,

We'd be glad to take the tray back and trade it if you wish, although we won't require it...but that being said in the future if you have a warranty issue due to that mod, it'd be hard to claim it as warranty since it has been modified. No need to worry about it being disfigured, I'll take care of those politics.

Regarding the QC, we do normally check that - but in this case with RV-12's it's a bit different process due to the harnesses, antenna, switch panel, etc.. Either way it's an oversight on our part for not noticing it, so if you get a chance to remove it we'll just swap it out for you at no charge, even if it is a bit mutilated. In fact, contact me (email or PM) off list and we'll just send you a new one. You keep the other one as a souveneir because I really don't want it back!

Cheers,
Stein

Mich48041 said:
Stein,
I am pleased to hear that it was not Stein's fault that the studs were missing. But it is too late to send it back. It is completely installed. I pressed the studs out of the right side and into the left side. Since the heads of the studs are sandwiched between two layers of the tray, they can not fall out. I used thread lock on the studs and shoulder nuts. It is not coming loose. I sure hate to take everything apart and send it back for exchange, but will if you insist. I doubt that Garmin or you would take the tray back after I repaired it and disfigured the aluminum in the process. As part of your quality control program, the trays should be inspected for missing studs when they arrive from Garmin. Thanks for the reply.
Joe
Click to expand...
 
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